Marietta man sentenced to jail on theft charge

April 30, 2013

MARIETTA - A Marietta man was sentenced Monday for teaming up with his girlfriend to steal more than $1,000 worth of tools from the girl's grandfather.

On Aug. 8, Aaron R. Fulton, 26, of 214 Wooster St. pilfered dozens of tools and three guns from the man with his girlfriend, Ashley Wynn, allegedly aiding him in the theft, said Washington County Common Pleas Court Judge Randall Burnworth.

"You're almost 27 years old and you and your girlfriend go to grandpa's and she distracts him while you steal all kinds of things from the garage," summed up Burnworth.

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Photo by Jasmine RogersAccused of stealing more than $1,000 worth of tools and guns from his girlfriend’s grandfather, Marietta resident Aaron Fulton is sentenced Monday in Washington County Common Pleas Court to 180 days in the Washington County Jail, 140 of which he has already served.

The pair also stole checks from Wynn's grandfather, said Washington County Prosecutor Jim Schneider.

Fulton was initially indicted in December on a third-degree felony count of grand theft, one fourth-degree felony count of grand theft from an elderly or disabled person and one fifth-degree felony count of breaking and entering.

He pleaded March 11 to the fourth-degree felony charge. With no prior felonies, Fulton was not eligible for the maximum fourth-degree felony punishment of 18 months in prison, said Schneider.

However, Fulton has a lengthy juvenile and adult misdemeanor record, said Burnworth. According to Marietta Municipal Court records, those include burglary, criminal damaging, breaking and entering, OVI, and drug possession charges.

Fulton and his girlfriend allegedly sold some of the property and used the money to buy drugs, said Burnworth.

"You've been through treatment programs, and it hasn't changed your behavior," he said.

Fulton is no longer eligible for the SEPTA Correctional Facility, which offers addiction counseling services to some drug dependent offenders.

"You were previously approved for SEPTA and failed to complete it. And then you went a second time and it looks like you did complete it. But because of that you're no longer eligible and can't be sent again," said Burnworth.

Fulton was sentenced to 180 days in the Washington County Jail. However, he has already served 140 days awaiting sentencing and will get credit for that time.

"Very simply put, you're gonna serve 40 days in jail, and when you get out you better quit committing crimes unless you want to spend half the rest of your life in and out of the state prison," concluded Burnworth.

Fulton also was sentenced to five years of community control and was ordered to undergo evaluation for the court's "Thinking For A Change" program, a cognitive behavioral change program developed by The National Institute of Corrections. When he gets out, he will be required to report to L & P Services and follow whatever drug counseling program it recommends, said Burnworth.